CVE-2021-1980 : What You Need to Know

This CVE pertains to a possible buffer over-read vulnerability found in various Qualcomm products. The lack of length check while parsing beacon IE response can lead to exploitation across multiple Qualcomm product lines.

Understanding CVE-2021-1980

CVE-2021-1980 highlights a security issue in Qualcomm products that could result in a buffer over-read due to inadequate length validation during the parsing of beacon IE responses.

What is CVE-2021-1980?

The vulnerability in CVE-2021-1980 arises from a lack of proper length verification during the processing of beacon IE responses in Snapdragon Auto, Snapdragon Compute, Snapdragon Connectivity, Snapdragon Consumer Electronics Connectivity, and several other Qualcomm product categories.

The Impact of CVE-2021-1980

The potential impact of this vulnerability is significant, with a base CVSS score of 7.5, categorizing it as a high-severity issue. An attacker could exploit this flaw to cause a denial of service (DoS) attack due to the buffer over-read vulnerability.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-1980

This section delves deeper into the technical aspects of CVE-2021-1980, including the vulnerability description, affected systems, and the exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability stems from insufficient length verification during the parsing of beacon IE responses, leaving the systems open to potential exploitation by malicious actors.

Affected Systems and Versions

Qualcomm products impacted by this vulnerability include a wide range of Snapdragon processors and connectivity components. The affected versions span multiple product lines, potentially exposing numerous devices to exploitation.

Exploitation Mechanism

By leveraging the lack of proper length validation in beacon IE response parsing, threat actors could manipulate the system to trigger a buffer over-read scenario, which may lead to DoS attacks and unauthorized access.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2021-1980, immediate steps should be taken to mitigate the risk posed by this vulnerability and ensure long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

It is crucial to apply patches and updates provided by Qualcomm to remediate the vulnerability promptly. Organizations and users should also monitor for any unusual network activity that could indicate exploitation attempts.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implementing robust security measures, such as regular security audits, network monitoring, and keeping systems up to date with the latest software patches, can help prevent similar vulnerabilities in the future.

Patching and Updates

Qualcomm has released security bulletins addressing CVE-2021-1980. Users are strongly advised to apply the recommended patches and updates to safeguard their systems against potential exploitation.